Definitely a work in progress. What do you guys think? What am I missing? 
It's that time of the year again. Young men and women are going off to college, some for the first time, others a bit more experienced. This is probably geared more towards the Freshmen, or students living on campus for the first time. So here we go.
Viruses spread quickly on resnet networks. If the university does not provide anti-virus software, there are several free solutions.
Firewalls are a good idea. Every computer should run one of some sort. Windows XP comes with a built in firewall, and with SP2 it is supposed to be fairly decent.
With both firewall and anti-virus software, there are plenty of choices available. Symantec (Norton) and McAfee offer both programs, but I do not believe they offer a free version. Smaller companies like kaspersky also offer anti-virus and security software.
Here is a quick "Unofficial guide to the best anti-virus and firewall."
Most computer savvy people know that spyware is a pain. Here is a thread on "removing and preventing spyware."
Using a limited "user" account instead of an administrator account is also advisable. It might cause an extra step or two when installing software, but this simple step can help protect against viruses, spyware, and other security issues.
Every year the Networking forum is filled with threads about download limitations. Some schools limit the throughput of various applications, especially during daylight hours. Others limit the amount of data a user may download in a given period of time. These limits are in place so that users doing legitimate work will not be denied by the over abundance of p2p. These types of restrictions may also affect online gaming. This is a combination of a social and a technical problem. The administration at the school has chosen a solution that is more technical.
We will not help anyone circumvent these measures! Those kind of threads are not welcome here. We do not discourage those threads because we are mean, or jaded (many of us are mean and jaded, but that is besides the point). We discourage them because many of us are the ones putting those corrective measures in place, or we have jobs where we do similar things. Also, whatever you think of has probably already been tried. If it was tried, the user probably got caught. It's best you do not lose your resnet privileges over an extra download or two.
Here are a few things a user can try though:
Some universities utilize Active Directory domains. To use these each user will need a computer loaded with Windows 2000 or Windows XP Pro. Mac OS X and Linux may be able to authenticate to AD, but I have not researched this.
Some universities also restrict the number of computers a user may have connected to the resnet. Using routers can sometimes cause issues on a network, especially if misconfigured. There are several ways to find out if a user is using a home router. Here is a quick explanation from ScottMac:
There is one possible solution to all of these restrictions. It is not cheap, and will not be easy, but if someone is serious enough they may pull it off. Spirits. Beer. Liquor. Wine. These items are a known weakness of most administrators. The problems really arise when it comes time to finding the proper liquid to bribe the admin, or finding the proper quantity. A user attempting the admin-beer-bribe may end up with no beer and no extras. If a user were to bring the wrong liquid bribe, his access may be restricted even further. Use this method with extreme caution!
It's that time of the year again. Young men and women are going off to college, some for the first time, others a bit more experienced. This is probably geared more towards the Freshmen, or students living on campus for the first time. So here we go.
Viruses spread quickly on resnet networks. If the university does not provide anti-virus software, there are several free solutions.
- Panda AV offers 1 free year. Reregistration at the end of the year may be possible.
- GRIsoft offers AVG for free for personal use.
- Trendmicro offers free online virus scanning.
Firewalls are a good idea. Every computer should run one of some sort. Windows XP comes with a built in firewall, and with SP2 it is supposed to be fairly decent.
- Zonelabs offers ZoneAlarm for free. Zonealarm pro has additional features, and may be a good idea for some users.
- Kerio also has a free personal firewall. Again, additional features are available for a nominal price.
With both firewall and anti-virus software, there are plenty of choices available. Symantec (Norton) and McAfee offer both programs, but I do not believe they offer a free version. Smaller companies like kaspersky also offer anti-virus and security software.
Here is a quick "Unofficial guide to the best anti-virus and firewall."
Most computer savvy people know that spyware is a pain. Here is a thread on "removing and preventing spyware."
Using a limited "user" account instead of an administrator account is also advisable. It might cause an extra step or two when installing software, but this simple step can help protect against viruses, spyware, and other security issues.
Every year the Networking forum is filled with threads about download limitations. Some schools limit the throughput of various applications, especially during daylight hours. Others limit the amount of data a user may download in a given period of time. These limits are in place so that users doing legitimate work will not be denied by the over abundance of p2p. These types of restrictions may also affect online gaming. This is a combination of a social and a technical problem. The administration at the school has chosen a solution that is more technical.
We will not help anyone circumvent these measures! Those kind of threads are not welcome here. We do not discourage those threads because we are mean, or jaded (many of us are mean and jaded, but that is besides the point). We discourage them because many of us are the ones putting those corrective measures in place, or we have jobs where we do similar things. Also, whatever you think of has probably already been tried. If it was tried, the user probably got caught. It's best you do not lose your resnet privileges over an extra download or two.
Here are a few things a user can try though:
- Write a letter to the administration. Be careful to be polite, use proper English (or the native language at the university), and include well thought out and legitimate reasons these restrictions are inappropriate. Remember that even large, expensive schools are strapped for cash. The networking departments are always low on funds. If there is no benefit for them, there is little chance they will listen to the users unless the users can show a definite benefit for the administrators. Agreeing on removing or being less stringent with the restrictions during odd hours may also be a solution.
- A user can always get a non-university affiliated internet connection. DSL, cable, Satellite, some wireless, and dial-up may all be solutions. They cannot restrict these connections.
- In a dorm there is often a wide selection of students, many different tastes and interests. Smaller, local file sharing utilities should provide a good deal of variety. Setting up an ftp server for the dorm should not be difficult, and may offer selections most users would never otherwise investigate.
- Often universities have extensive wireless networks. Depending on how these networks are setup, they may not be as restrictive. Be polite though.
Some universities utilize Active Directory domains. To use these each user will need a computer loaded with Windows 2000 or Windows XP Pro. Mac OS X and Linux may be able to authenticate to AD, but I have not researched this.
Some universities also restrict the number of computers a user may have connected to the resnet. Using routers can sometimes cause issues on a network, especially if misconfigured. There are several ways to find out if a user is using a home router. Here is a quick explanation from ScottMac:
There is one possible solution to all of these restrictions. It is not cheap, and will not be easy, but if someone is serious enough they may pull it off. Spirits. Beer. Liquor. Wine. These items are a known weakness of most administrators. The problems really arise when it comes time to finding the proper liquid to bribe the admin, or finding the proper quantity. A user attempting the admin-beer-bribe may end up with no beer and no extras. If a user were to bring the wrong liquid bribe, his access may be restricted even further. Use this method with extreme caution!
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